Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 6:7
He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God [is] upon his head.
7. The stringent rule here laid down was applicable to no one else except the High Priest (Lev 21:11); in the case of the ordinary priest the nearest relatives are expressly excepted. It is to be noticed that Samson did not scruple to come into frequent contact with the dead. The regulation was probably not in force in early days, but was added when the sanctity attributed to a Nazirite had increased.
his separation ] Heb. nzer (connected with nzr) denotes either the state of separation ( Num 6:4 ; Num 6:6 R.V. marg. ‘Naziriteship’), or, as here, the symbol of separation, i.e. the long hair. Cf. the similar ellipse in 1Co 11:10, ‘the woman ought to have [the symbol of] authority on her head.’ In Lev 25:5; Lev 25:11 nzer is even used for an untrimmed vine, with its long tendrils like uncut hair.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 7. The consecration of his God is upon his head.] Literally, The separation of his God is upon his head; meaning his hair, which was the proof and emblem of his separation. Now as the hair of the Nazarite was a token of his subjection to God through all the peculiarities of his nazarate, a woman, who is married, is considered as a Nazarite for life, i. e., separated from all others, and joined to one husband who is her lord; hence St. Paul, probably alluding to this circumstance, says, 1Co 11:10: The woman ought to have power upon her head, i. e., wear her hair and veil; for this hair is a proof of her nazarate, and of her being in subjection to her husband, as the Nazarite was under subjection to the LORD by the rule of his order.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For his father, or for his mother; wherein he was equal to the high priest, Lev 21:11, being, in some sort, as sacred a person, and as eminent a type of Christ, Heb 7:26, and therefore justly required to prefer the service of God, to which he had so fully and peculiarly given himself, before the expressions of his affections to his dearest and nearest relations.
The consecration, i.e. the token of his consecration, to wit, his long hair.
Of his God, i.e. whereby he hath devoted himself to his God in an eminent manner. The genitive case of the object.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die,…. Aben Ezra adds also, for his wife, and for his daughter, and for others; what even the priests of the Lord, the common priests might do, a Nazarite might not, not come near any of his relations when dead, as to touch them, to close their eyes, or wash their bodies, and provide for their funeral, and attend that, or to be where they were; in this respect they were upon a level with the high priest, who was forbid the same, which shows how sacred these persons were; see Le 21:1; this may instruct spiritual Nazarites to abstain from the company and conversation of sinners, dead in trespasses and sins, and from all dead works and sinful actions, which, as they are deserving of death, are defiling:
because the consecration of his God [is] upon his head; or that which shows him to be consecrated to God, and separated to his service, is upon his head, namely, his long hair: the Targum of Jonathan renders it, “the crown of his God”; so Aben Ezra observes, that some say that the word “Nazarite” is derived from “Nezer”, a crown, in proof of which this passage is produced; and in this respect the Nazarites were not only types of Christ our King and high priest, who is a priest on his throne, and has on his head many crowns, but of the saints who are freed from the power and dominion of sin, and are made kings and priests unto God.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) He shall not make himself unclean . . . The law of the Nazirite in this respect was equally stringent with that of the high priest (Lev. 21:11), and more stringent than that which was imposed upon the priests generally (Lev. 21:2-3).
The consecration.Better, the separation (Hebrew, nezer). So also in Num. 6:9.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Unclean for his father He could not enter the house where his father lay dead. The omission of the wife in the list of near relatives would seem to permit the Nazarite to bury his wife. Others interpret Num 6:6 as excluding him from her funeral except by breaking his vow, contracting ceremonial defilement during seven days, and beginning his vow anew.
The consecration of his God R.V., “Separation unto his God.” In Exo 29:6, and Lev 21:12, we have the Hebrew nezer, crown. This is its import here, “the diadem of his God upon his head.” As the golden crown upon the turban of the high priest, and the oil of consecration poured upon the priestly head, so the luxuriant growth of the Nazarite’s hair expressed in a similar manner the fact of his consecration to the service of Jehovah and subjection to his authority. To this St. Paul alludes in 1Co 11:7. The application of the word nezer, crown, to the Nazarite is a figure called assonance, a rhetorical beauty especially frequent in Isaiah.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 6:7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God [is] upon his head.
Ver. 7. He shall not make himself uncIean. ] In all changes he must be unchangeable; so was Christ, so must we.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
consecration = separation, or Nazariteship.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
unclean: Num 9:6, Lev 21:1, Lev 21:2, Lev 21:10-12, Eze 44:25
consecration: Heb. separation, This expression, “the consecration, or separation, of God is on his head,” denotes his hair, which was the proof and emblem of his separation, and of his subjection to God through all the peculiarities of his Nazarate. St. Paul probably alludes to this circumstance in 1Co 11:10, by considering a married woman as a Nazarite for life, i.e., separated from all others, and united to her husband, to whom she is subject.
Reciprocal: Lev 10:6 – Uncover Lev 21:11 – his father Mat 8:21 – suffer
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6:7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God [is] upon {c} his head.
(c) In that he allowed his hair to grow, he signified that he was consecrated to God.